


Tess and Doc

by missema



Category: Star Wars: The Old Republic
Genre: Balmorra, Dark Side Jedi, F/M, Flirting, Miraluka, Quesh, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-25
Updated: 2014-11-03
Packaged: 2018-01-09 22:24:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1151518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missema/pseuds/missema
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are so many stories of the Hero of Tython, but she wasn't a perfect Jedi by a longshot.  The Order has so many rules, a few of them are bound to get broken, right?  Especially when a hero falls in love with a 'superb combat medic' who has no intention of developing lasting feelings.</p><p>Sometimes breaking the rules is just following fate.</p><p>More of a Gray Jedi than truly DS.  Spoilers for the Jedi Knight Storyline.  Slow updates.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Resistance Doctor

The wind picked up around him and the man wrinkled his nose at the smell of smoke and filth on the already chemically tainted air. Why, of all places did he have to choose Balmorra? But as Doc sighed softly and made his way down into the charmingly named Balmorran Arms Factory outpost. At least he wouldn't get lost, but it sounded to him like it could be a really downmarket hotel on Coruscant. At least it wasn't filled with the Colicoids he'd heard so much about. Warzones were never pretty, and Balmorra's industry had long since polluted the planet. 

He walked faster, keeping his head down while his eyes scanned around him. He wasn't here to strictly work for the Republic, so he didn't want to attract too much attention. Officially, the Republic was gone from Balmorra, though he could see the signs of their 'unofficial' help all around him. 

There was a member of the resistance waiting for him. Apparently, it wasn't safe to walk around because of massive bugs. When they'd talked before landing, he thought they'd be like the Killiks of Alderaan, but what he saw in the distance looked much more menacing, not to mention bigger. It was a small mercy to meet someplace inside and out of attack range. Getting away from the toxic waste and acid ponds was good too. 

He suspected there was another reason - that he'd be blindfolded and taken to a base before he could ever set foot inside the Balmorran Arms Factory. Though he'd worked funneling supplies to the resistance for years, mostly medical though when he came across something interesting that might help actual soldiers and was of no use to him, he often sent it on - they didn't actually know him. So, he expected secrecy and half-truths and veiled tests of loyalty. Let them test him, he didn't want to do anything he hadn't done on several worlds before, bring the best medical care to the people that needed it most. And he was damn good at it by now, with all of his experience.

Doc was already in the makeshift cantina near his landing site, sipping on the drink he'd ordered after giving the bartender the passphrase. There were eyes on him, he could feel it, but he paid them no mind as he sipped his energy drink. People were dancing against all odds, and the sight somehow made him feel better. It wasn't a lively scene for the amount of people that the room held, but there was a subdued tenseness that filled the room. Around him, folks spoke in whispers and glances, and in the corner a couple swayed too close together with a furtive heat of people desperate for freedom. 

He thought he spotted his contact, an older woman had entered, spoken to the bartender and ordered, steadfastly avoiding his eyes whenever he looked her way. She looked like a veteran, wiry grey hair pulled away from her face, eyes dark and menacing, but there weren't many people on Balmorra that weren't vets of some war or another. Doc didn't get up from his seat, but drained his glass, letting the ring of perspiration form on the table.

"Is this seat taken?" The gruff voice of a man asked him, and Doc looked up in time to give the scarred face a smile. 

"Not at all." Doc answered, nodding at the other man. A hit by shrapnel, that was certain by the looks of the injury. Long time ago, long enough that he would have been a kid or a teenager, because the man was probably his age, give or take a few years. He wore nondescript armor that could have come from anywhere, in good condition despite its use. There was a blaster on his hip, but nothing heavier where Doc could see it, though he didn't doubt there was another weapon concealed someplace. Other than that, he had short hair and a stocky build, and wasn't at all memorable, which was likely the point.

"Were you just on Coruscant?"

"Someplace further, friend." Doc replied. "Let me tell you about it."

"Good to meet you, Doctor Kimble." The man said, nodding at him from across the table. "And thanks for that last shipment of medpacs. You've saved a lot of lives here for the true citizens of Balmorra. We're glad to have you."

"It's just Doc, friend." He answered. That was a warmer welcome than he'd expected, but Doc wasn't about to turn it down. He took the compliments graciously, and let it fall away. The next instructions were worked into conversation, about getting to a safe place nearby that needed medical help. Balmorra was constantly in flux, and all that change left a mark. Doc wasn't surprised he was going to be pressed into work before he even had a bed - this place and the resistance fighters looked like they needed all the help they could get.

"I hope you're good with that blaster, because Colicoids are going to be on you whenever you step foot outside." His contact said. He was called Collin, and Doc had no doubt that he was a native Balmorran just from the way he talked. 

There was something about Collin, he seemed like a person that had always lived under war, eyes too dark to have ever been young, a mouth that turned down, grey hair and wrinkles on a body too youthful for them to truly belong there. War was terrible at any time, but the one on Balmorra had gone on far too long. It almost made him sigh, but since he'd left medical school on Coruscant, Doc had seen too many places in the same state. Funny how it never got easier.

"I'm pretty good with it, but I never turn down backup." Doc said.

Collin laughed. "Good man. You'll fit in fine here, so long as your as quick with your hands as you are with your wit."

"I'm better." Doc told him confidently, just as they stepped out towards a waiting speeder. "And I save lives."

"We'll soon see."

The resistance was holed up in the Balmorran Arms Factory, trying to keep it and its vast mechanical resources, out of Imperial hands. Doc flirted cautiously with pretty much everyone he met, but for the most part he was kept busy trying to keep people alive. Apparently one of the medics they'd used before had become the target for Imperial sniper practice. 

He'd lived in dangerous places before, but this was by far one of the fiercest. The Imps didn't seem to care who or what they shelled, so long as it took out some part of the Resistance. Their weapons were brutal, but they had to be to fight the Balmorrans. The Resistance fought tooth and nail against the Empire, and kept them at bay. Aside from a few outposts, the Empire only held Sobrik, a city filled with Resistance spies. 

Doc didn't get to go out much, because he was constantly busy and because they didn't want him out much. No sense in losing their newest medic to fire when they could just bring him what he needed. He did a bit of slicing through the systems on his off time, using the arms factory tech to learn what the Imps were up to. There was little time off though - his door was a near constant stream of injuries sustained doing something 'heroic' that cost a few fingers here, an arm there, or a leg. 

It was a good thing he did keep an ear out for the Imperials, because he knew of the attack before it happened. Keeping the Balmorran Arms had kept the resistance strong, and the Empire knew just how to break their spirit. They captured their home and base of operations and turned it against them. 

A plan so perfect, Doc should have seen it coming. He could have even been proud of it himself, if it had been him on the winning side and a group of no good Hutts or some other group of scum that wound up losing. The Balmorrans however, they lost a lot more than a building, and Doc lost a secure place to heal them. Scattered, he could only hope the that Republic stepped in and would turn things around. He would have given almost anything to see a Jedi to counter all the Sith the Imps had around.


	2. Knight-Errant

The life of Jedi was different for a Miraluka than it was for other species, or at least it seemed that way to her. Trebess had lived with the Force all her life, as did all of her people, and had trained to use her gift for as long as she had memory. Technically, the Miraluka were classified as near-human aliens, but she didn't feel a particular kinship with any other race. Not that she disliked them, but it felt like there was a wide gulf between her and humans or Mirialans. None of them had lived as she had.

The little things wore on her. At first, she tried to be more human, to fit in a little more her fellow padawans. She shortened her name to a more common 'Tess' and kept the solid spectacles on her face that hid that she didn't have human eyes. She didn't mind changing her name a little, since she'd never been fond of her full name, and her shades were just customary for her people to wear when they ventured outside their familial groups. It was different wearing them all the time, or explaining that yes, she could see like they did, probably better than most, but she tried to bear it with patience. There were so many rules, rules that certain people seemed to pick and choose what to ignore and what to enforce, nuances about humans and their speech that she didn't understand, and wasted much time trying to imitate. But it was never enough, and once she realized that no amount of assimilation would be, she stopped trying.

It was a relief to be away from the Jedi Academy on Tython, especially after all that had happened since she'd first been there. A place where Jedi converged and talked rather than did things annoyed her greatly. It was a relief to get her own ship when they left Coruscant, though their journeys through the galaxy hadn't been easy. But then again, no one expected that taking down Darth Angral would be a walk in the park.

So much had happened already to the three of them, Kira and the astromech Teeseven, the little crew that she'd assembled and Tess knew another planet and mission for the Jedi would bring no relief. Their respite had been welcome, though brief, but being busy felt better. Master Braga had ordered them to Balmorra for technology that would help the Jedi with one of its most ambitious attacks yet, one against the very Emperor of the Sith. She didn't know the whole of the plan, but fighting again made her feel useful, like a real Jedi Knight, not just one in name.

"Master." Kira had stopped tip-toeing around her, but there was still some hesitation in her friend. Tess didn't blame her for anything at all, not the way the Sith lied and manipulated and lead Orgus Din to his death. Kira wasn't responsible for any of that, but saw that she bore the weight anyway, using it to make her strong, like she had with so many obstacles in her past. Tess admired that, and Kira's will to survive, to get away from the Empire and live her own life.

"Yes? Kira?" Tess answered, realizing that she had turned to face Kira but had been so lost n her own thoughts she didn't speak. "What is it?" Tess asked again, giving Kira a warm smile as she did.

"Gonna take us some time to get to Balmorra." Kira said. "There's some blocked hyperlanes and bad weather out there." She reported. Cosmic storms were the worst, but Teeseven was good at keeping them out of truly terrible ones that could cause lasting damage to the ship.

"I hope it doesn't take too long." Tess said. "It sounds like the Resistance could really use our help there, and I don't want our mission to be delayed much longer."

"Plus we'll run out of good rations and we'll be down to only energy pudding." Kira added. They both made faces at that thought of a bleak future with only the nutrient-rich and terrible tasting pudding as their food, and then looked at one another and laughed.

It got lighter between them, every day. They just needed time.

#####

It didn't take much longer than planned to get to their destination, not when they charted another route that had only two more hyperspace jumps. Her mission was simply to get there at first and then be briefed. As she suspected, they were aiding the Resistance, as well as furthering their own goals. The Jedi she was there to meet, Warren, already had made contact with the resistance leaders and was ingratiating himself. Every monitor on her ship blinked with warnings about the surface of the planet, but Tess took it in stride - she'd survived Tattooine already and the Imperial forces were expected.

Tess was not at all ready for Balmorra, not especially after Alderaan. On the later planet, it was all Killiks and Death Marks and losing master Orgus, so she hadn't considered it a very good time. Still, it was better than toxic waste and filth. The Colicoids made the Killiks look downright friendly. Monster bugs unsettled her more than womp rats.

But there was work to be done, and a doctor that needed her help urgently. According to her information, the Resistance had been forced out of its former home in the Balmorran Arms factory and the Empire had taken up residence in the stronghold. They were still scrambling for places, especially spots for their wounded. Her concern for the people made her feet move faster once she was on the ground with the coordinates Warren had sent to her back on the ship.

One man was running around, clearly in charge. He wasn't too bad with a blaster, but it was she and her Teeseven that ended most of the Colicoids. He resumed his healing and started ordering the others about as soon as the fight ended. By the Force, he was handsome. He was all sculpted cheekbones and broad shoulders on a body made of lean muscle. He had dark hair and eyes to match, but a friendly disposition. More friendly than most people she'd encountered, even the ones she'd saved.

Introducing himself as the Chief Medic, he quickly outlined the situation. It was the strangest thing, that with a room full of wounded and their situation firmly in the 'bad' category, he kept flirting with her. The only medic in a room full of sick people, flirted with her, right there in front of everyone. No one flirted with Jedi, at least, not in her experience. 

Her droid was less than impressed, but Tess kind of liked the doctor who called himself simply "Doc" as if healing was his identity. She had a chance to repay him with some flirting of her own, rusty though she was at it, and had a feeling that him checking for injuries was more just an excuse to scan her and ask to see her later. Tess didn't hold out much hope, since he was a doctor on a war-torn planet, and she had an urgent mission, but she could dream.

When she turned around, the resistance doctor was still watching her. He was, in fact, watching her intently as she walked away. He gave her a cheeky grin when she caught him looking, and Tess nodded curtly before she left. Only her astromech could have seen her answering smile.


	3. Spies in Arms

Balmorra had always provided him plenty of opportunity; a chance to heal and make a difference, lives to save, a chance to stick it to the Empire, but Doc never thought one of them would be 'meet a breathtaking Jedi goddess who saves lives like it's her job - oh because it is'. The Jedi, he didn't even know her name, just that he'd sent her to fight off about a million Imperial troopers near Sobrik and she'd gone, willingly.

He shouldn't have been surprised when she succeeded, showing up at their meeting point with another Jedi, a pretty redhead on her heels instead of the droid. The other Jedi had one of those fancy long lightsabers, instead of the two the Miraluka wielded. He might have thought they were just friends out for a fight together, but the redhead called the Miraluka "Master". 

Avers was talking again, that man loved to hear the sound of his own nonsense, but Doc wasn't listening. He wasn't one of his men, not strictly speaking because as a medic, he went where he was needed. Doc ignored them to get a look at her in some decent light. Apparently, she had a thing for purple. All of her armor was painted purple, save for the pauldrons on her shoulders, which were silver, and the gold highlights on her belt and boots. She matched the droid he'd seen earlier, the astromech had been painted purple and gold as well. Even the other Jedi was wearing similar colors, though she wore light blue and pale yellow instead of purple. He hadn't realized Jedi had team colors.

The look suited her, the deep violet a good contrast to the gold tones seemed to be part of her - her short hair was streaked with it, sandy brown shot with lighter strands that shimmered in the light, and her skin was a color between bronze and gold, like deep honey seen through the light, and a dull sheen as if it yearned to match her hair. She was well-formed, to say the least, and her armor brought that point home clinging to her every curve. The common thought was that Jedi wore drab robes, and he was ever so glad that wasn't true about this one. She was Miraluka, obviously, because she wore solid glasses affixed to her face that covered where her eyes would be, but he knew it would look like her eyes were always closed should she remove them.

The holocommunicator ended his observation of her, and Warren's warning about the impending attack snapped Doc to attention. Colicoids would kill these wounded men if no one stopped them, and Avers bailed at the news. Mercy for Imperials wasn't high on the list of any Balmorran, he got that, but he couldn't leave behind these men to die a horrible death, unable to fight for themselves. 

The Jedi seemed to be thinking the same thing. She let him heal while she and her partner fought. It wasn't until it was almost over that he heard her name.

"Tess!" Shouted the redhead, just as the other Jedi slashed apart a Colicoid and pincer fell on her, knocking her off balance. She fell onto her backside, but the other woman was there in a flash, holding out a hand to help her up.

"Ugh. Thanks, Kira." Tess said. More quietly she asked, "Do you think the cute resistance doctor saw me fall on my ass?"

"Yep." Kira said, but she smiled as she did. Doc turned his head away as they walked back to him, so she couldn't see him grinning. He was cute, wasn't he? And it was nice to have confirmation that the pretty Jedi thought as much.

He didn't say anything about overhearing them as she checked on them, but he sat there looking pleased with himself, grin hidden under his mustache. Doc let her see his smile when she got the whole group of Imperials to change sides, although the other Jedi frowned at Tess while she did it. A large part of him was intrigued - he'd heard about the mind tricks that Force users could play, but he'd never seen it in action before. Getting them to aid the resistance would be a fine way to pay him back for saving all of their hides from death by colicoid.

He was still smiling to himself as he got on the speeder and went towards the coordinates where Warren would meet them both. Doc wasn't one for a chase, because he was generally the type of man that got to the point, but Tess the Jedi had him thinking of all the things he might say next, just to get her talking to him again.

######

The Resistance didn't trust her, but Tess wasn't naive enough to think that they would. Warren seemed to be a little delusional about how much help they were offering. They were trying to help themselves to hurt the Imperials and use the Jedi might in the process. Tess didn't want to think too much on it though, it wasn't her place to ingratiate herself to these fighters and restore their confidence in the Republic. They were mutually using one another, and that's the best she could hope for at the present. War made people hard, the edges too sharp even when help is offered earnestly, so she didn't blame the resistance, though she would like to shake the feeling that they might shoot her in the back once they didn't need her.

Besides, to examine the resistance in too bright of a light would mean that she'd have to shine it down on Doc, a man that went out of his way to save wounded enemy soldiers. A man that didn't see her as just a Jedi when they met, and seemed to take every chance to flirt with her.

He wasn't making it easy for her to forget him, that was certain. Tess wasn't even sure she wanted to forget him, for that matter. It wasn't just that he flirted with her, but goodness knows that was a refreshing change. She liked Doc, though she was aware of how little she knew of him. What Tess did know was that the only time he wasn't joking around was when people were hurt. All the levity would leave his voice, and his brow furrowed as he concentrated. She knew he could make a joke directly after being an attack, and that he still had a smile on his face after working up to his elbows in blood. Those were qualities she could admire in anyone, not just a handsome man who sent a lot of those smiles her way.

But there were other things to think about, not just her own wants and wishes. The life of a Jedi was about discipline and the greater good. So it was with a certain amount of reluctance that Tess and Kira went on their own to rescue the resistance spy, Madel.

"So you really do like him, don't you?" Kira asked her as they made their way to the base to free the spy.

"Yes, he's nice." Tess answered, unable to put her real thoughts into words. He was nice, and he was funny, and cute, and an incorrigible flirt that made her want to press her mouth over his and see if his clever tongue was as good as his words. She banished those thoughts as soon as they surfaced, because a lifetime of discipline couldn't be wasted for one night with a rebel doctor.

"Uh-huh. Nice. You don't look at him at all like you want him to do nice things to you." Kira said, arching her eyebrow at Tess.

"Kira, I don't want to break the Jedi Code." Tess said softly, her voice wavering with her uncertainty.

"Don't let the Jedi Code break you. You know who you serve, and what we do to protect people. We aren't like the Sith, and a little kissing isn't going to turn you into one, even if you are kissing a toad." Kira answered.

"We have a spy to save, a cloaking device to go after, several armies waiting on us. Surely we could talk about this at another time?" Tess asked. As she spoke the first shot was fired at them and she and Kira both ran into the fray, attacking the Imperial droids that were defending the outpost. Over the swishing of her lightsaber, Tess could hear Kira still talking.

"It isn't over until you sleep with him. Maybe it will get it out of your system. If it doesn't we'll find someone else to put him out of your mind." Kira called as she stuck her saber through the middle of the droid she was fighting, the machine letting out a final metallic whirring noise before it collapsed to the ground.

"That's a terrible idea that I fully support." Tess shouted back. The fighting made her more honest and Kira laughed. Tess wasn't sure if it was a combat laugh or if it was for her, but she took it as being for her.

"Tell me if it's any good, not that I need to know details, but you know. He talks a good game - it would be a shame if he didn't measure up." Kira said as she dispatched her last droid. "Come on, we've got a base to secure."

Tess led the way and could hear Kira chuckling to herself behind her.


	4. Addition to the Crew

Nikollan's attitude towards Madel made Doc protective and a more critical of the resistance. Not that he wouldn't have felt protective anyway, since Madel had been an unwilling Imperial guest, but he really didn't like bullies, no matter what side they were on. It was only a matter of time before he wore out his welcome with the resistance, since he saved lives no matter what faction they served. Plus, he had the feeling that the Republic was about the turn the tide in the war for Balmorran independence. If that was so, the planet was going to be a lot quieter. Whatever the future held, Doc wasn't going to let this Jedi fall into whatever plan the resistance had for her. He knew Nikollan, and he was sure that they had one. They weren't the type to let things go peacefully, and they'd started cutting him out of the loop on this mission. 

That was why he volunteered to go to the Balmorran Arms Factory with her. That and because Doc knew that her time on Balmorra was coming to a close and he was oddly reluctant to part with her. They'd barely had a chance to get to know each other, since her friend Warren had her running in and out of the line of fire between their meetings.

Plus, Tess the Jedi was smart, funny, beautiful and fearless. Those traits were in short supply individually, so Doc wasn't stupid enough to pass up one of the few people that embodied all of them at once. 

And maybe if he showed her just how helpful he could be, she'd take him off this rock. He kind of liked the running and scheming she got into, and he definitely liked Tess. His help was a little self-serving, but Doc didn't hear any protests coming from her. 

"Hey Doc?" Tess asked, standing in front of the battlefield that lay between them and the Balmorran Arms factory.

"What do you need, pretty lady?" He asked, smiling over at her.

"How good are you with that blaster?" They'd fought to get to the Arms factory, but the way there was going to be constant battle.

"Got plenty of practice living here, and I wasn't bad with it before. One thing about Balmorra, there's no lack of things to shoot at." He answered.

"Oh good. We're gonna need it." She said, looking down at the space between them and the entry to the building. Doc was standing next to her on the ridge, taking in the same sight as her.

It was end to end battle, right to entrance of the factory. There were resistance fighters all over, fighting droids, guards and turrets. From where they stood, she could see several strike teams at work, clashing with Imperial forces. There looked to be a couple of Republic troopers in the mix too, proving her assertion that the Republic had not in fact, completely abandoned Balmorra. 

Tess turned and smiled at him before igniting her blue sabers. Doc gave her a grin in return and unholstered his blaster. When she leapt towards the nearest defense droid, he was right behind her, putting a blaster bolt in anything that tried to flank her.

 

#####

After they confronted Nikollan, Tess turned in her spoils to her friend Warren and the Republic Colonel. It seemed that the Jedi finished their mysterious mission on Balmorra. He still didn't know what they hoped to achieve with all their information, but Tess said she'd fill him in on the ship. Doc was standing around the BugTown cantina, waiting to leave with her. Tess was running her last errands on the planet, selling off some junk and buying a few things. He had no idea what she was in the market for and she seemed to know her way around, so he got himself one last drink. He hoped this wouldn't take a long time – this place was starting to wear on him. At least he no longer had any official capacity in the resistance.

It was in a cantina much like this where he'd first met the Resistance fighter that took into the fold. Poor Collin – he lost a few parts since they'd first met, but at least he was still alive. Doc felt the same sort of itch he always felt when it was time to move on, like adventure was calling, luring him out towards something new.

That something new happened to sway right by him and bump him with her hip. He smiled up at her – no way that was an accident, but she kept going until she got to the bar. He was meant to follow and he did. Tess had already ordered him a drink, though he was only steps behind her, and the bartender placed it down in front of him with a wink.

"Nothing for you, Jedi?" Doc asked.

Tess shook her head ruefully. "No thanks. Maybe some other time."

He got that. "Some other planet then. I can do that."

"Besides, I try to get something for everyone that joins my crew. I got Teeseven an oil bath when we were through with our work on Coruscant." She looked thoughtful and then added, "but that was a while ago, I'm sure he needs another one."

"What about my oil bath?" Doc asked.

"I'm sure I could arrange something for you and Teeseven at the same time." Tess replied, laughing. "Consider the drink my way of saying thanks for all the help here, and as a chance to leave Balmorra on better terms."

"So you're into making good memories?" He asked.

"Only on the right occasions." Tess was almost coy when she answered, but Doc saw her grin.

"I'll keep that in mind when I take you out for that drink." He said, then finished the glass of liquor with a last gulp. "I'm ready when you are, Jedi."

"Time to see your new home then." Tess said, and swayed out in front of him again, leading him to the shuttle pad. Doc couldn't wait to see where they wound up next.

#####

The ship was too large for just a crew of three, Tess thought to herself, practicing the excuse over and over in her mind. It was like reciting it made it true to herself, even if something deeper within her knew it wasn't exactly the whole truth. 

But that is what she would tell the Master Braga and the rest of the Jedi if they asked, but she didn't think they would begrudge her a medic. Doc was good at his job, she had to give him that. But there were so many other things he professed to be good at, and Tess wanted to learn all about those talents as well.

Kira set a course for Quesh, a surprisingly quick trip from Balmorra. Tess's mind wasn't on the trip, wasn't on anything but going to talk to Doc when Kira stopped her.

"So I've been thinking about this Padawan, the former Dark Council member." She said. 

"Please, share your insights." 

Kira smiled over at her, but it didn't make her look less worried. "Getting away from the Sith makes you feel like you always need to look over your shoulder. Maybe he's fighting a little too hard because he's afraid some Imperial will recognize him. That kind of fear can make you susceptible to the dark side. I know, I lived with it for a long time." She said.

Tess thought on it. "I would have never seen it like that, but you could be right. The pull would have to be strong for a former council member. Even the most incredible willpower falters from time to time."

"Like Bastilla Shan." Kira said.

"Master Satele's relative?" Tess asked.

Kira gave a snort. "Did you sleep through all of your history lessons? Bastilla was a companion of Revan. She gave herself up to Darth Malak to save Revan, and fell to the dark side. Before then she had been one of the most stalwart Jedi, famous for her battle meditation."

"It's a good reminder too that not all Jedi fight. Maybe Master Braga's padawan would be a better scholar or teacher. There's less of a chance of him a Sith recognizing him, and he still can follow the Jedi teachings."

Kira smiled at her, a real smile this time. "Now you're thinking. Good. I'd hate for this guy to get cut down or turn back to the Sith." She turned back to check on the navigation, looking out at the stars for a moment. "I'll let you get back to going down to see our newest crew member."

"Was it that obvious?" Tess asked, but she already knew the answer.

"I know your mind isn't on Quesh yet, I just thought I'd tell you my thoughts before I forgot them and you got too caught up in a cute medic to hear me."

"I value your thoughts, Kira." Tess said, sounding like the consummate Jedi. But then she added, "plus you're plenty cute and you have a lightsaber. I'd be stupid not to listen to you."

Kira laughed, her cheeks dotted with red. "Save your flattery for Doc." 

With another laugh, Tess left the bridge and went to check in on Teeseven, then find Doc. Things didn't seem so lonely on this ship anymore, and Doc had only been with them a short time. She could only hope that anyone else that joined them would fit right in as he had.


	5. A Disturbance In the Force

Jedi were supposed to have prophetic dreams, she knew. Even her waking moments had given her Force visions and ghosts, and her vulnerable sleeping mind could only let more in.

So what was she to think of all the dreams she'd had starring Doc. They'd just met, but even the quick snatches of rest she'd caught on Balmorra had brought his smile to her mind every time she'd hovered between wakefulness and slumber. There was nothing that they hadn't done together in her dreams, from the mundane to some of the more adventurous things she'd seen on the holonet. 

Unlike with many types of humans, Miraluka accepted their sexuality when it came to blossom within them. No one questioned her when she expressed an interest in many types of people - some men or women, some fluid as time. Tess was only interested in the person, and felt attraction with the wholeness of herself, falling in love fast and hard but not easily.

The Jedi didn't see life and love and peace as part of the same whole. It didn't make sense to her mind, but Tess tried to respect the teachings. Maybe had she been raised by the Jedi, she could understand it more. All she'd gotten was Master Orgus trying his hardest to drill it into her on Tython that entanglements of all kinds - romantic or otherwise - were undesirable. Anything that threatened emotional attachment or upheaval would conflict with the calm she worked so hard to create, and therefore was to be avoided.

But she couldn't stop her sleeping mind from alighting on Doc, nor did she have any desire to make an effort to curb her attraction. She was sure this wasn't the 'Jedi' way to go about things, but there was no reason to fight the force of fate. Tess found herself meditating a great deal as they made their way towards Quesh. She wasn't sure what else to do. The rest, however it played out, would come in time.

#####

No one, Jedi Council or otherwise, said a word about her new crew member. Well, Kira did, but she was also glad to have some extra help on the ship, even if she wasn't Doc's biggest fan. The Council just sent her on to Quesh, where she was tasked to help a Jedi that had once been a powerful Sith Lord. Deciding that it might hit a little close to home for Kira, she took Doc. Not that she wouldn't have taken him anyway, since she did want to spend time with him, and having a healer accompany her on missions was a novelty.

"I hate to disturb you, seeing as how you just settled in and all that." Tess began, leaning against the door of the medical bay.

"No you don't, gorgeous. You live to disturb me, and I want to be disturbed by you. What's on your mind?" Doc asked.

"Want to go down to a planet with a toxic atmosphere to save a Sith turned Jedi that's been out of reach?" She asked, summarizing her mission. She knew that Doc already knew where they were going, and that she didn't really need to ask if he wanted to come along, but she did anyway.

They were playing some game, like betting high at the sabaac tables. Every move was thoughtful but displayed outward with feigned casualness, so not to alert the other players to what she held in her hand. Inside, adrenaline ruled, making Tess push her hand closer and closer until it tipped, taking her with it and she found out if she's won or lost. She hoped she would win with Doc, at least for a little while. No one can keep betting high and winning, but she'd take one win or never getting to the table at all.

But no matter what she was feeling or what game she decided that they were playing, they never talked about it. Doc brushed a lock of hair off his forehead in a futile gesture since it fell right back down into the same spot, and smiled over at her. She felt her stomach drop at the sight of that smile, all white teeth and mustache aimed straight at her. "Long as it isn't Balmorra again, I'm ready." He replied. He was thoughtful for a moment and then added, "In fact, I have something that will make it less deadly to breathe down on Quesh. I've never been there before, but I studied the effects of the atmosphere. Give me a minute to get it together, and before we leave I'll give you a shot."

"I'm sure you will."

Doc's grin returned in full force. "Watch yourself there, beautiful. Ol' Doc is more than willing to take you up on that." Tess laughed as she left, turning away before he could see her blush. 

######

Alright, he'd seen Tess down on Balmorra, he'd watched her slash through Sith and talk down Nikollin. So why was he surprised at how she handled herself on Quesh? If ever there was a planet in need of a Jedi, this was it. It didn't seem like much, but Doc knew from experience planets with mines, soldiers and not a whole lot of civilian population were usually the ones worst off. This was a battleground - the places where diplomacy failed. For all the Jedi talked of peace and understanding, they were guardians and soldiers. Places like Quesh needed them, because no place run by Hutts ever was left unscathed.

Tess was patient - if she wasn't a Jedi, she would have made a good doctor herself, because she could listen to people and hear what they weren't saying. She talked to the merchants, the Republic soldiers, even the SIS agents that needed help. Even if she had ten other things to do, she never acted as if a task was wearying or beneath her. There was that same Jedi enthusiasm about everything, equal parts stoic, calm and soothing. Only when they were traveling down the rust colored roads alone did she ever betray her own thoughts. 

"This planet is in a bad way, with the Empire and the Hutts." She muttered. Doc tended to agree, where there were Hutts, there was always corruption. It was just their way. "And all for adrenals. It makes me glad I don't normally take them."

"If you do, be sure it isn't too much." He cautioned.

"Yes, Doctor." Tess answered saucily, teasing him by drawing out the word 'doctor', giving a purr towards the end.

He started to reply, but her eyes were back on the horizon. "We're getting close to a base. If there's a speeder we can take it back the other way so we can report in again. I want to give that SIS agent her info as soon as possible. You never know what they are really getting into." She said.

He nodded, acknowledging the shift between their fun and the mission. It was remarkably easy to maintain the back and forth with her, talking too no effort and it never felt like an enemy attack or fight caught her by surprise. Maybe it had something to do with being Jedi, because Tess always seemed to sense danger before it started, even if she was in the middle of laughing with him.

They laughed a lot together, which surprised him in the best way. He felt like he'd smiled more at her in the past few days than he had the whole time he was on Balmorra. He'd never intended for it to take as much out of him as it had, but he couldn't have left any other way. Even though the Republic had taken back Sobrik, there was still so much to be done on the planet. He hoped the people there were getting by without him. Thinking of the Resistance left an odd ache in his chest, but it hadn't be the first time Doc had to walk away from a situation. He had to look out for himself first, otherwise he wouldn't be any good to his patients.

While his thoughts had meandered, Tess had geared up again. She was pointing in the direction they needed to go to find the lost Jedi she was supposed to be checking on. Doc was already wary, but Tess voiced her doubts too.

"There's something odd about this mission." She said, standing over her speeder. "It feels like a trap, but I'm not sure why."

"Jedi senses tingling?" Doc asked.

A flash of confusion darted across her face, but then she laughed. "Something like that." 

"We won't know 'til we get there." He replied sagely, though he felt uneasy too. "Best to be careful."

Tess nodded, and they were off drifting through the rust colored hills towards a bunker. He hoped fervently that this Jedi was just silent, and not gone back to their Sith ways. That wouldn't end well for any of them, and he hated to cut down someone working towards redemption. Sometimes people that had to struggle lost their way in the fight against themselves - Doc knew that all too well.

Tess and Doc set off, unsure of what danger lie ahead of them. Through his breathing mask, Doc took a deep breath and tried to center himself. There were no civilians here to save, and his every desire was to flee this toxic planet hand in hand with Tess, and let the Hutts do with it what they would. The Hutts would do that anyway, no matter what they told the Republic or the Empire, they always did. That thought did little to comfort him. All in all, he couldn't recommend Quesh as one of his favorite places, especially not once they got to the bunker.

Their Jedi was definitely not as peaceful as he would have liked to find him, and had attracted the attention of someone called the 'Emperor's Wrath'. This planet just kept getting better and better.


	6. An Aftermath of Wrath

She wasn't sure what she thought about the large, bald Sith. There was some curiosity there, because Tess was certain that he was an executioner that had just walked away from his quarry. The noble part of her wanted to believe that something within her called to him, but she knew better than that. This Emperor's Wrath was just as self-serving as all the other Sith she'd ever met, but she wasn't sure why.

All of her missions kept her in closer contact with the Sith, and Tess was beginning to feel the strain of it. She wanted a chance to meditate, to regain her sense of peace. On her planet, no one would keep fighting like this, without reprieve and be expected to be at their best in every battle. It was unheard of, but the desperation of the Jedi drove them to do unwise things.

She hadn't noticed on Tython how desperate the Order was, but she saw it now. There were so few Knights and even fewer Masters. There were Padawans there that had only the faintest trace of Force Sensitivity, people that would be better off coaxing flowers to bloom or machines to work as the apex of their power were instead training to be servants of the Order. They would never have the chance to love, to marry, to have the normal life they could have lived if the sacking of Coruscant had never happened. It just wasn't right.

She and Kira could talk about this until they were blue in the face, but neither one of them would get anywhere. Tess wanted to forget, just for a short while, how much was on her shoulders. There are plenty of jokes that start out with a Jedi walking into a cantina, but she did it after facing the Wrath. Tess found the nearest table of Republic soldiers, intent on chatting them up and ordering a drink as if she were just another fighter and not a Knight of the Republic trying to take out the with a mission so big it threatened to overwhelm her.

"So what are you all drinking?" She asked as she approached the table.

The soldiers shifted uncomfortably, until one of them muttered, "We're off duty, Master Jedi."

"Good." She replied, smiling. "Then you won't mind if I drink with you."

They were still apprehensive about her presence, but invited her to sit. It took them two drinks, but soon they were laughing with her. After another round she was practically one of them, exchanging war stories and commiserating with the others. If there was one thing the Jedi Temple needed, it was a cantina that actually served alcohol.

#####

The Emperor's Wrath hadn't killed her, but walked away. Doc didn't doubt that the Sith could have killed Tess had he wanted, but he had stayed his hand. That retreat frightened Doc almost as much as their short, intense meeting. What had caused him alarm was her reaction afterward. He'd never seen a Jedi head straight for the bar, but he didn't blame her. In anyone else, it would have been a normal reaction. With her, it felt like she was going to break if she didn't get a chance to blow off a little of the steam building under all that coolness.

After she threw back a few drinks with some uniform soldiers, Doc led her back to the ship. Even though she'd been under his watchful eye the whole time they'd been on Quesh, they had been fighting and he liked to make sure everything was all right before suiting up again. That and the toxic air was so harmful even with all of their precautions, so he decided that they should both return to the ship and recover. They'd stay for just long enough until they needed to get back to their missions on the surface. It was the doctor's orders after all, and Tess had willingly followed him back to the ship, and submitted to his exam once there. But she hadn't really been thinking of him, he knew. That made it less sexy than he'd hoped, but he guessed being threatened by the killing hand of the Sith Emperor would tend to occupy the mind.

Doc watched as she pushed her hair back from her face, her thoughts not on him. He wanted her, though it was an inopportune realization. He wanted to strip off every piece of her armor and bask in the gloriousness of her naked, warrior's body wrapped around him. It had been a vague notion in his mind when they'd teamed up, the same as it was with so many beautiful women. They'd flirted and it was nice, but there was a mission and she was a Jedi Knight.

But Tess let him join her crew, though he wasn't sure if he'd call another Jedi and droid a proper crew. Perhaps, if he counted the protocol and the astromech droids, they could be considered a small crew. Here he was, healing her cuts and scrapes, impressed that she didn't have more signs of damage on her after all the fighting they did. She was resilient as she was lovely and braver than both. He admired her personality, her spirit and dedication to helping and doing good when she could. 

This wasn't about what he really felt about her. He didn't want to examine the feeling, just enjoy her. Right now she was sprawled on the bed in the medbay, laying there lazily as if she owned it and all of his attention. She was still wearing all of her armor save boots and gloves, and every once in a while she would wiggle her toes as if trying to get the feeling back in them. Doc kept watching her, amused by her little display. Tess was cute until she arched up off the bed, sighing as if she were bored by his mute company.

A heartbeat later she had her gloves on and was sticking her feet back into her boots. He said nothing, just watching as she slid off the bed and away from him. Tess smirked when she saw his eyes following her hands as they smoothed over her armor, and he felt like he'd been caught peeping. 

"Thanks for all your help. I owe you one, handsome." She said smoothly, then swept from the room, hips swaying as he nodded in her wake.

Doc blamed his inarticulateness on the ache in his groin. At least this wasn't a one-sided flirtation.


End file.
